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I loved this album and this to it all the time

This review is also on my ciao account under the username alexcatt97. This album is the third album by rock/metal band Evanescence who are well known for their debut album "Fallen" and debut single "Bring me to Life" which have received major worldwide success both selling millions of copies. Evanescence also have many Ep's and a demo album which before they were signed with Wind up so they can be downloaded for free on the internet. Their second album was achieved major global success in 2006 but after the album the band went into Hiatus until recordings for this album started in 2010. In my opinion this album has elements of the previous albums in it but slightly different from them.

Not much happened in those five years between albums except for the guitarist John LeCompt and drummer Rocky Gray being fired and the new lineup being formed which is the one which recorded this album.

This album took a long time to be released and the date was pushed back many times due to vocalist Amy Lee being unhappy with it, problems with the label and a change of producer. The album was set for release in 2010 but these factors pushed the date back to October 2011 when the album was finally released when the band where happy that it represented Evanescence which is the reasoning behind the eponymous title. The album is available in standard edition with 12 tracks or as a deluxe version with 16 tracks and an extra DVD which I shall be reviewing.

The album starts with the lead single and very catchy song called "What You Want" which was released as a single before the album release. From the release of it, I have loved this song and still listen to it regularly but the things which really do stand out in this track are the drums which you can hear from the onset and also the vocals from Amy Lee which are outstanding in my opinion on this song. The chorus of the song I think is the reason why this track is so catchy with the lyrics, "Hello, hello remember me? I'm everything you can't control" always getting stuck in my head when I have recently listened to this track.

===Made of Stone===

"Made of Stone" is the second track on the album which at first I was unsure about but have grown to love. It is one of the heavier tracks on the record and I love the lyrics on this song and they are again brilliantly performed by Amy Lee whose vocals on this track seem a lot angrier and I think this fits with the heavier sound on this track. Also I think this is one of the tracks where the guitar work really stands out. I was hoping for this to be one of the singles from the album because of it's heaviness.

===The Change===

"The Change" is the third song on the album and has always been one of my personal favourites on the album but in my opinion is not as powerful as the two previous tracks but is good in its own right. The whole band perform this to an equal excellence and in my opinion everything on the track works brilliantly together to create a great song.

===My Heart is Broken===

The fourth track on the album is called "My Heart is Broken" and is the second single from the album. When I saw the title of the song before the albums release I was pretty disappointed because it sounded a bit cliche and poppy but I have found that it's meaning is a lot deeper and so are the lyrics which are about victims of sex trafficking. The one thing you can hear more prominently on this track which isn't so much on the previous three is piano work which features throughout the song and is quite enjoyable and one of the things that stands put on the track as well as the vocals especially in the chorus.

===The Other Side===

"The Other Side" is the fifth song and has been released as a radio single so unfortunately it will not be getting a music video. It is not one of my favourites on the album but an enjoyable song to listen to with impressive guitar and drum work throughout. The riffs on the song work brilliantly in my opinion and especially along side the vocals from Amy Lee.I also enjoy the lyrics in this song but I cannot quite understand the full meaning of them. I would have preferred this song to have been the third single and to get a music video over "Lost in Paradise" (track 7) in my opinion.

===Erase This===

"Erase This" is track 6 on the album and one that stands out lyrically and vocally on the album showcasing Amy's really powerful voice and the bands excellent writing. This is one the tracks on the album where everything works together brilliantly and I also really enjoy the piano work featured on this song. This has to be one of my favourites on the album.

===Lost In Paradise===

"Lost in Paradise" is the third single on the album and is due to receive a music video. I think it was a good choice for the band as a single as the very prominent use of piano may remind old fans of the very successful sing "My immortal" from the bands debut album. I really do enjoy the use of other string instruments such as the violin which really make the track a bit different from the other songs and could also remind fans of previous work where those types of string instruments have been quite prominent.

===Sick===

"Sick" is the next track on the album and another which feels a lot angrier than the other songs which is shown by the vocals and lyrics mainly which work great with the guitar and drum work on the track to produce that affect. When I say it is quite an angry track, it is quite different from Made of Stone which is good because it gives the album a lot more variety.

===End of the Dream===

"End of the Dream" is a track which starts with quiet heavy guitar work although it gets softer through the song but is something I enjoy on this song quite a lot which manages to work well with the vocals in this song. I think that the song can be a bit repetitive at times and therefore sometimes a bit boring but Amy's vocal lines on this track manage to keep me quite entertained.

===Oceans===

"Oceans" is not one of the tracks which really stands out instrumentally although guitar/drum work is good. Despite this it is one of the song that really gets stuck in my head because of the lyrics and vocals throughout the song which in my opinion are really impressive and enjoyable which is the reason that this is one of my favourites on the album.

===Never Go Back===

The eleventh track is called "Never Go Back" and is the opposite to the previous track in my opinion as it is one that really stands out instrumentally especially with the guitar work which is heavy throughout which I enjoyed. I do also enjoy the lyrics which are about the Japan disaster and Amy's vocals performs the quiet deep lyrics with power and emotion. I do have to say again that there is some repetition within this song but not as much as track 9.

===Swimming Home===

"Swimming Home" marks a good end to the standard edition of the album and a lyrical masterpiece that I think is about death and because of this the lyrics really stay with you and get stuck in your head. This song is a lot calmer compared to the other songs and has a more electronic influence that other songs. In fact this song is like nothing I have heard from Evanescence before and that is one of the reason I enjoy this song so much because it is something different but still has Amy's brilliant vocals.

That is the end to the standard edition of the album and a great one. The 12-track album is definitely a strong one and one that compares very well to their previous work and to other artists within the same genre. The album has also spawned very good singles and I hope that it may at least spawn one more in the future because of the quality of the album

==Deluxe edition==

So the Deluxe edition album has four extra tracks which are not included in the standard edition. Many people think that extra tracks are never as good as standard edition one but on this album this is not true with it consisting of four incredibly strong tracks.

===New Way to Bleed===

"New Way To Bleed" is the first of the four bonus tracks and starts them off very well. Its not my favorite of the four but a very impressive track especially instrumentally although vocals on this track are pretty great as well. This track has also been remixed for the very popular film "The Avengers" and is included in the soundtrack to the movie.

===Say You Will===

"Say You Will" is the next one which is again really enjoyable and one where the guitar work and vocals are brilliant together. I think that the lyrics on this track and not as good as some of the album which is a disappointment but a good track.

===Disappear===

"Disappear" is by far the best of the four extra tracks with the use of piano and guitar work really standing out on the track. It is hard to understand why I love this track so much but it is one where pretty much everything about it is incredible and one I listen to every day.

===Secret Door===

"Secret Door" is the end to the 16 track album and it ends on a high note. This is the track which is really different from the others and the reason for that is Amy's use of the harp throughout the song which is her new found talent. I think that the harp in this song makes it a really calming end to a brilliant album.

==DVD==

If you have purchased the deluxe edition you will receive a DVD with the CD. The DVD was a great watch and good edition to the deluxe edition with videos from the What You Want video filming, photo shoots, the studio and Amy Lee explaining all the songs. These things in my opinion were worth paying a bit extra to buy the deluxe edition although I especially enjoyed the part where Amy Lee talks about the songs as it gives you a new insight into them and from it I have listened more to the lyrics of the song to see the meaning of it because of watching that part.

Also watching the studio footage on the DVD was also very interesting because you see how the album came together and how the band really are like while recording and I learned more about why the producer was changed and why the album was released later than it was said too. Overall the DVD is a really good edition to the album and really entertaining and interesting thing to watch once you have finished the album and I would really recommend getting it.

==Cover/ Inlay Design==

The cover design is the same on both editions of the album and is the bands name written in their usual font and is quite mysterious which is quite effective with 'waves' (I don't know to describe it but look at pictures below) of colour lighting the band name which I think visually looks awesome. The name of the album is also written at the bottom in very faint font spelled backwards which adds to the mysterious effect. I think it really represents the whole band because the focus of the cover is just Evanescence unlike the previous two album where the covert has been a picture of Amy Lee.

The standard edition is in a normal jewel case with a lyric booklet whereas the deluxe edition is in the form of a digipack to hold the two discs. The cover on the digipack is shiny unlike the standard one with makes the cover look really cool and effective really brings out all the colour within it. Also when you open the digipack you see the main promotional picture for the album and this really drills in that the album is about the band and not just vocalist Amy Lee. The only small criticism for the deluxe edition case design is that both cd's fit into two slits in the digipack instead of being secured in like a jewel case. Because of this the cd's are more prone to scratching and can easily fall out which could cause damage to the cd.

Both versions also contain a lyrics booklet and both a very similar, the only difference between the two is that the deluxe version has more songs in it as expected. The lyric booklet contains full lyrics for the songs unlike some booklets I have seen before and also feature the many promotional pictures for the album which I love.

==Value For Money==

The prices for the album on amazon are as follows: Standard - £4.99 and Deluxe - £13.39 which seems like a big difference but the standard editions price has been dropped recently so the gap is bigger but the price for the 12 track album is very cheap and for a great product by a great band so you cant really go wrong. The deluxe edition is obviously going to be more expensive but in my opinion the price is reasonable and worth the extra things you get with it. Overall which ever version you get I think that you will have spent your money well and you will enjoy it.

==Overall==

Overall this is an album that really represents Evanescence and the talents that the bands have and therefore I see it as a must listen. Obviously it will not be everyone's cup of tea because of the genre but I would recommend this both to old fans of the "Fallen" era and people who many not have listened to the band before because the musical talent on this album in my opinion is outstanding and hopefully you will not be disappointed. Please take some of your time to listen to this album because I have to say it is one of my favorite albums of all time passing all of the bands previous work and hopefully if you hear it you will see why.

Best Tracks: What you Want, My Heart is Broken, Erase This, Swimming Home and Disappear.

For fans of: Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Within Temptation, Delain and We are the Fallen.

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Still Evanescence, but not as heavy.

"Evanescence" is the eponymous 3rd studio album by the US rock band of the same name. It was released in 2011 on Wind-up Records and produced by Nick Raskulinecz. The line-up for the album was Amy Lee (vocals/piano), Terry Balsamo (guitar), Troy McLawhorn (guitar), Tim McCord (bass) and Will Hunt (drums).

Written by Amy Lee, Terry Balsamo and Tim McCord, "What You Want" is one of the heaviest Evanescence songs, and is about Amy Lee's interactions with fans, and realizations of what she should do with her life. The song opens with drums, followed by guitars and synthesizers. That leads into Evanescence's hard rock guitar and goth rock mix style that keeps the fans coming back for more.

"My Heart is Broken" features a piano as the focal instrument during the intro, lending a passionate quality to the feel of the song, followed by a heavy guitar and drum beat. The inspiration for the song comes from Amy Lee and her husband's involvement in the rescue of victims of sex trafficking.

Described as a mix of rock, symphonic rock and a power ballad, "Lost in Paradise" tells of Amy Lee's feelings toward the band and how much she missed it during a break. You can feel those emotions in her soaring soprano. The song begins slowly with piano and Lee singing, then builds as strings and then guitar are added.

This album is fantastic proof that third albums can be just as amazing as the first. I can easily listen to it often with never tiring of it, because I am hearing new elements of songs all the time.

1. What You Want2. Made of Stone3. The Change4. My Heart is Broken5. The Other Side6. Erase This7. Lost in Paradise8. Sick9. End of the Dream10. Oceans11. Never Go Back12. Swimming Home

My rating: 9/10

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Amy Lee and 4 good looking men.

Evanescence quickly became one of the most inspiring rock bands in 2003 after their first studio album, Fallen sold millions of copies across the globe with the help of their single, Bring Me To Life. Their demo album, Origin and previous EPs became scam bait, so the band gave everyone permission to download all their Pre-fallen stuff for free. After a few members left the band including founder Ben Moody, their second studio album, The Open Door was delayed but was released in 2006 where Amy Lee felt she had more artistic freedom.

A lot happened between the space of five years between the release dates of The Open Door and their self-titled album. Ben Moody met American Idol contestant Carly Smithson and they teamed with former members of Evanescence and one Moody's friends to form a band called We Are The Fallen. Because of the band's haitus, the media assumed that they were the new Evanescence and that Carly had replaced Amy Lee.

This album took a long time to make because Amy Lee was unhappy with the results of the album because she felt it only represented her and not Evanescence. Because the majority of the fanbase thought Amy Lee = Evanesecence so poor Carly Smithson gets a lot of stick for being in the same band as Ben Moody. It was going to be released in 2010 and then nothing happened and then in 2011 they made a statement just to let the fans know they where still alive.

Compared to Origin, Fallen and The Open Door, Evanescence the album is a lot more metal orientated with stronger guitar riffs and heavier sounds. There's not many symphonic elements as there were in Fallen and it's not really as haunting or ethereal as The Open Door. In my opinion the album does have a bit of filler involved, but I do find it catchy. Amy Lee states that she's really inspired by the likes of Björk, Massive Attack and Portishead, but I don't really hear any of those influences apart from Swimming Home.

The album starts with a catchy and drum reliant track called What You Want. For a come back single it does underwhelm, but I have enjoyed listening to the track recently. Amy sounds great in it, but it sounds like something the band has already done before.

Made Of Stone carries the heavy sounds from the first track and comes across as an angry filler. The Change stands out a lot more with stronger musical arrangements and hidden string arrangements that add a nice tinge. The lyrics do feel as if they where recycled from their previous albums but the themes come across as a lot more positive.

My Heart Is Broken will be the second single of the album. I personally think that this a good single choice because of the good use of the piano which might bring people back to their older stuff. I also think because the title is a bit cliche that people may lean towards it a bit more. I quite like the track myself because I think the song has a bit more emotion which helps it stand out to an album with rock fillers.

The Other Side is my personal favourite from the album. I think the riffs and vocals work in harmony here. This song is clearly a dedication to her dead sister, and she's made several songs dedicated to how she can't wait to die so she can be with her. Brings a whole new meaning to home is where the heart is.

Erase This sounds like a sequel to My Heart Is Broken. Out of all the tracks of the album I think this album highlight's Amy's belting voice the most. Lost In Paradise is also a potential single with the band's classic ballad style. I like the use of the violins and how the different instruments fade out but still remains to sound like a fluid song. I do think Lost In Paradise drags on a bit though.

Sick shows a lot more industrial influence. It does remind me of Tristania's album called Rubicon. Sick is also quite an angry track but feels a lot less fillery than Made Of Stone. I think the track is a bit under-produced with unfitting jazz jingles.

End Of A Dreams, Oceans and Never Go Back is another deja vu which makes the album sound really repetitive. Luckily, Swimming Home makes a good lasting impression. Swimming Home is a song that's got stuck in my head for it's calm musical arrangements which sounds like a nice chill out song.

There's also four bonus tracks in the deluxe version which hold similar sounds to this album. My favourite from the bonus tracks is A New Way To Bleed. I think the band managed to pull off a good album. It's not a love at first listen album and I wasn't so sure about it when I first heard but it but now I quite like it. There's no decline, but there's no improvement. I think it's a good album, and I think it's worth just the one listen.

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Not as good as Fallen!!

When I was younger, I considered Evanescence to be one of my favourite bands; I wasn't into heavy rock - I much preferred pop music, although I did really like Evanescence's songs. Although, they seemed to have disappeared and then I kind of ended up forgetting about them. So when they recently released their new album, after a number of years away from the charts, I was very curious.

For those of you who don't know, Evanescence are an American rock band who have been around since 2003. Their new album is called 'Evanescence'. The album is currently selling from Amazon for a price of £8.99 which I think is good value for money.

~ * Track List *~ 1)What You Want 2) Made Of Stone 3) The Change 4) My Heart Is Broken 5) The Other Side 6) Erase This 7) Lost In Paradise 8) Sick 9) End Of The Dream 10) Oceans 11) Never Go Back 12) Swimming Home

It has been a long time coming, but here it is! When I first heard this album, I was really disappointed. This album is not as good as their first album which was a huge success both here in the UK and in America. It seems that as time has gone on, their albums have gone worse.

Although, having said that, I do think that this album is a grower. I wasn't keen on it at all when I first heard it. However, having listened to it a couple of times, it has grown on me a bit.

Previously, Evanescence have had some highly emotional ballads (My Immortal and Lithium), although the ballads on this album are nowhere near the high standard of the mentioned ballads.

There were loads of songs which stood out for me on their debut album - I could listen to the album all the way through without skipping. However, with this album, I feel a bit...well...bored when I listen to it. I also find myself skipping some of the tracks. There aren't any tracks which really stand out for me.

Amy, the lead singer can sing well and has a good voice, which is quite powerful at times. I think her voice suit's the songs really well. However, I do find that she has quite a 'moan-y' type of voice, which I tend to get fed up of after a while. She does have a unique voice though - you can always tell an Evanescence song by her voice. It would be nice to hear some of the other members have a go at singing - just for a change.

If I had to choose a couple of songs which I do like, I would choose "What You Want" and "Oceans". They aren't outstanding songs, but they are likeable.

It is not as good as their first album 'Fallen', however if you have liked their singles in the past, I would recommend this to you!